Record-card.



E. S. MADDGUK & J. M. COBB.

RECORD CARD. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1911.

Patented June 18, 1912.

f 9 am TINTTED STAT I; PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD s. MADDOCK, or KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, AND JOSEPH M. COBB, orCHICAGQ, ILLINoIs.

RECORD-CARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed September 26, 1911. Serial No. 651,379.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EDWARD S. MAD- DOCK andJosnBH M. COBB, both citizens of the United States, and residents,respectively, of-Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State ofWisconsin, and of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Record-Cards, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a record card for use in card indexes or anyother card. record system.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a record card with apointer or index removably secured thereto, the pointer or index and itsmeans of adjustable securement to the card being such that the card maybe removed from or restored to its place among other cards withoutdanger or liability of displacing the pointer or index.

A further object of the invention'is to provide an improved record cardwith removable indexes whereby the dates of entries upon such cards, orupon othercards associated therewith, or the date or dates for futureentries or notations, or other indicia relating to the contents of thecards, may be pointed out and readily ascertained by reference to theposition of the indexes upon said cards.

Practical embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in

which Figure 1 is a side elevational View of our improved record card.Fig. 2 is a top edge View of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionalview on the line' 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged. fragmentary view,more particularly illustrating the pockets for containing the indexes.Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the index pockets,showing an index therein. Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding withviews 4- and 5, respectively, showing a modified form of index.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a designates the card as anentirety, the same consisting of three plies of paper I), 0, .and d,which are suitably secured together, the central ply 0, being formedwith a series of comb-like tongues 6, so that when the three plies areunited a series of pockets f are formed between adjacent tongues.Preferably, and as herein shown, the outer ends of the tongues e extendslightly above or be yond the edges of the outer plies Z) and (Z, tomore clearly indicate the positions of the upper ends of the pockets f.

The pointer or index, in its preferred form, consists of a thinspear-shaped strip comprising ,a stem or shank 9 adapted to have asliding fit within any one of the pockets f, and a triangular shapedhead 71 at its upper end normally projecting above the upper edge of thecard and readily disclosing the position of theindex. One or more ofthese indexes may be employed, as desired. On either or both sides ofthe card and direct-1y opposite the respective pockets are provided aseries of numerals i, such as 1 to 31 inclusive, to indicate daily datesfor a month, or any other classification or character of referencedesired.

It will be noted that the pointers or indexes are of somewhat lessthickness than the total thickness of the card, or at least' thethickness of these indexes does not exceed that of the card, so thatwhen two or more cards of the character herein shown are placedtogether, that is, side by side, no part of the pointer or indexprotrudes on, either side of the card to which it is attached, and willnot, therefore, catch upon adjacent cards so as to be displaced or so asto interfere with or displace the pointers or indexes of adjacent cards.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we show a modified form of index or pointer consistingof a flat strip of metal or other suitable material j doubled uponitself, the free ends being slightly separated to form a spring, and wepreferably provide in the body of said bentstrip a laterally off-setportion or cri'mp 70, so as to better retain the indexes frictionallywithin the ockets. Each record card may be numbere if so desired, andmaybe used independently of or in association with other cards, themanner of use being substantially as follows: Assumin that a certainsubject matter as indicate on the face of the card-requires action orattention on a certain future date entry of such subject matter iseither made upon the record card or upon a card or slip attached to andaccompanying the same, and the index is then placed within the pocket onthe edge of the card bearing the date of the month upon which the matteris to receive attention.

By reference to the files each day, if necessary, one can quickly andeasily ascertain from the position of the indexes the exact day or dayswhen attention must be given to the matter or the exact date whenattention was last given or action was last taken,

tions, according to the system used, the purpose of theindexes being toindicate a speeific time. when something has been done or is to be donerelating to the subject matter borne by the card, or to indicate someother desired class of reference to the contents of the card. Althoughwe have shown the card as hearing numbers indicating dates as of'thedays of the month, it will be understood that such particularclassification is not of the essence of the invention, sincealphabetical, geogra hical or other classifications may be emp oyed.

The precise form of the index pointer or the material of which it ismade is not material, nor the number of such indexes used upon a card,provided they are, mechanically, of such form and structure as to befree from liability to accidental displacement or-interference withadjacent cards of -the series.

Therefore, without limiting ourselves to the precise details ofstructure herein shown, we claim:

1. A record card, in combination with an index adapted to be secured atany of a number of predetermined positions on said card, said index whenin operative position lying wholly between the planes of the sides ofthe card. i

2. A record card having a plurality of pockets formed in one edgethereof, in com binationwith an index adapted to fit in any one'of saidpockets.

3. A record card having a plurality. of pockets formed in one edgethereof, incombination with an index of a thickness not exceeding thatof said card and adapted to fit in any one of said pockets.

4. A record card having a plurality of pockets formed in one edgethereof, in combination with a thin index adapted to slidingly fit anyone of said pockets and projecting above the upper edge thereof, saidindex lying wholly between the planesof the opposite sides of the cardin which said pockets are formed.

5. A record card formed with three phes of paper adhered together, theintermediate ply being formed along its upper edge with a plurality ofparallel tongues, thereby creating between the outer plies and betweenadjacent tongues a plurality of pockets, 1n combination with indexesslidably engaging and at their upper ends projecting above said pockets.

EDWARD s. MADDOCK. JOSEPH M. COBB.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, DAISY G. THORSEN.

